Frontiers in Psychiatry (Sep 2019)

Differences in Emotion Regulation Considering Gender, Age, and Gambling Preferences in a Sample of Gambling Disorder Patients

  • Marta Sancho,
  • Marta Sancho,
  • Marta de Gracia,
  • Roser Granero,
  • Roser Granero,
  • Sara González-Simarro,
  • Isabel Sánchez,
  • Isabel Sánchez,
  • Fernando Fernández-Aranda,
  • Fernando Fernández-Aranda,
  • Fernando Fernández-Aranda,
  • Joan Trujols,
  • Joan Trujols,
  • Núria Mallorquí-Bagué,
  • Núria Mallorquí-Bagué,
  • Núria Mallorquí-Bagué,
  • Gemma Mestre-Bach,
  • Gemma Mestre-Bach,
  • Amparo del Pino-Gutiérrez,
  • Amparo del Pino-Gutiérrez,
  • Amparo del Pino-Gutiérrez,
  • Teresa Mena-Moreno,
  • Cristina Vintró-Alcaraz,
  • Trevor Steward,
  • Trevor Steward,
  • Neus Aymamí,
  • Mónica Gómez-Peña,
  • José Manuel Menchón,
  • José Manuel Menchón,
  • José Manuel Menchón,
  • Susana Jiménez-Murcia,
  • Susana Jiménez-Murcia,
  • Susana Jiménez-Murcia

DOI
https://doi.org/10.3389/fpsyt.2019.00625
Journal volume & issue
Vol. 10

Abstract

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Introduction: Impairments in emotion regulation are understood to be a transdiagnostic risk factor of suffering from compulsive and addictive behaviors. The aim of this study was to investigate the role of emotion regulation deficits in gambling disorder and to analyze these differences taking gender, age, and gambling activity preferences into account. Methods: The sample included n = 484 patients seeking treatment for gambling disorder at a specialized outpatient service. Main outcomes were sociodemographic variables, emotion regulation, and gambling severity. Results: Differences between sexes were found in non-acceptance of emotions. Older patients obtained higher levels in non-acceptance of emotions, lack of emotion regulation strategies, emotional clarity, and global emotion regulation scores. No differences were found in emotion scores considering gambling preferences (non-strategic versus strategic). Path analysis showed that emotion regulation scores and age had a direct effect on gambling disorder severity, while emotion regulation and gambling preference were not mediational variables in the relationships of gender and age with gambling severity. Conclusions: Emotion regulation impairments differ in patients seeking treatment for gambling problems. Early prevention and intervention programs should incorporate the different dimensions of this process, taking into account clinical phenotypes.

Keywords